Three Opponents Who Could Be Next for New ONE Strawweight World Champion Jarred Brooks

Jarred “The Monkey God” Brooks earned the World Title that he had long-yearned for in the main event of ONE 164 this past Saturday, December 3.

The Mash Fight Team representative stunned Joshua “The Passion” Pacio in the striking department throughout the 25-minute duel, throwing spinning kicks and combinations to put the Team Lakay athlete on the backfoot.

Though Brooks’ constant takedown threats failed to shake Pacio – who showed solid defensive skills to keep the match standing – the American star’s striking efficiency was enough to earn him a unanimous decision victory in the end.

Now 4-0 in the promotion, and with World Champion status, Brooks will undoubtedly have plenty of fighters eying his new prize. 

Here, we break down three potential opponents that “The Monkey God” could face in his first World Title defense.

#1 Jeremy Miado 

Jeremy “The Jaguar” Miado is in the form of his life.

The Filipino firecracker has earned four successive knockouts at the Singapore-based promotion, most recently handing Aussie-Thai dynamo “Mini T” Danial Williams his first mixed martial arts defeat in the Circle at ONE on Prime Video 3.

Miado has looked absolutely pristine in every department over this time, displaying an evolved form from the fighter that started his tenure in ONE with four defeats from six outings. 

Read more: “I Was Ecstatic” – Strawweight Contender Jarred Brooks Reacts to Praise From MMA GOAT Demetrious Johnson

Given his recent track record, there shouldn’t be any doubt as to why Miado deserves a chance to go up against Brooks. 

#2 Gustavo Balart

Gustavo “El Gladiador” Balart is another strawweight athlete who has been sending shockwaves through the 125lbs division lately.

The Cuban dynamo has defeated the likes of Ryuto “Dragon Boy” Sawada, Yosuke “The Ninja” Saruta, and former divisional king Alex “Little Rock” Silva – a run of victories that dates back to July 2021.

More importantly, Balart has impressed fans with his trickery and willingness to fight, two key factors that guarantee an interesting battle should ONE book him for a match against Brooks.

#3 Joshua Pacio 

For all that he has done throughout his time in ONE Championship, Joshua “The Passion” Pacio deserves a chance to reclaim the ONE Strawweight World Title against the newly crowned champion.

Read more: “It’s Going to Come Down To” – Joshua Pacio Reveals Major Moving Factors Against ‘Dangerous’ Jarred Brooks at ONE 164

Pacio owned the division for years and took out ranked contenders left and right, from grappling wizards to striking experts. 

True champions often suffer setbacks. And there’s a good chance that “The Passion’s” defeat to Brooks at ONE 164 is nothing more than that.

Should he fix his flaws and get a rematch against “The Monkey God,” there’s every chance he could walk away with ONE gold next year.